Approved Tech Deathball proton bomb

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Heavy version of the Deathball proton bomb

Image Source: Wikipedia Mk 84 bomb picture
Intent: To provide a range of proton bombs (there is only a handful of canon proton bombs and they are all rather lightweight)
Development Thread: If necessary
Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
Model: Mk 1-3 Deathball proton bomb
Affiliation: Open market
Modularity: No
Production: Mass-Produced.
Material: Tritonal, detonite, plastoids
Classification: Proton bomb
Size: Starfighter-mounted
Length: 1m (light version) - 2.60m (medium version) - 3.80 m (heavy version)
Diameter: 155 mm (light version) - 310 mm (medium version) - 533 mm (heavy version)
Weight: 30kg (light version) - 300 kg (medium version) - 1,000 kg (heavy version)
Ammunition Type: Explosives
Ammunition Capacity: 1
Effective Range: Starfighter-mounted proton bomb standard
Rate of Fire: Single action
Special Features: None

Strengths:

- Able to deal heavy damage with a large yield (up to 40 tons TNT-equivalent yield in the heavy version)

Weaknesses:

- Fast cook-off time due to the plastoid shells (i.e. must be stored away from flames and heat)
- Big blast radius means thay they should only be used in a carpet bombing
- Medium and heavy versions must be externally mounted and are hence exposed

Description: This weapon was designed with a rather special mixture of several explosives, which is primarily tritonal (~97%), with a small proportion (~3%) of detonite. Due to Ringo Vinda's peculiar resource profile, it was found to be more economical to produce bombs that were primarily made of locally-produced tritonal with a pinch of detonite than to manufacture the full amount of detonite. To increase the amount of explosives that could be fitted in the casing, lightweight plastoids were used for the construction of the casings instead of the more traditional durasteel. Thus the light bomb has about 15 kg of this new mixture, the medium bomb has about 160 kg and the heavy bomb has about 530 kg.

Of course, blast radius depends on the version in use: the light version has a blast radius of 60 meters, the medium version has a blast radius of about 200 meters and the heavy version has a blast radius of 400 meters, while causing the heaviest damage in the innermost 10, 30 or 50 meters (for the light, medium and heavy versions respectively) from the detonation point. Also, the light Deathball is equivalent to a normal proton bomb in terms of deployment options and can use the standard proton bomb launchers.

 

[Gir Quee]

RESEARCH REVIEW
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Star Wars Canon:
Pending initial review
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Starwars Chaos:
Pending initial review
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WITHOUT DEV THREADS
Pending initial review
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WITH DEV THREADS
Pending Initial review
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SUGGESTIONS
Pending Inital review

 

[Gir Quee]

- Medium and heavy versions must be externally mounted and are hence exposed

I'm guessing that the light ones can be launched by some type of launcher then? What kind of launcher do they use? Or are they capable of being fired out of an existing launcher? Alternatively, are the "light" version of these bombs pretty much interchangeable with normal proton bombs int terms of deployment options?

Of course, blast radius depends on the version in use: the light version has a blast radius of 60 meters, the medium version has a blast radius of about 200 meters and the heavy version has a blast radius of 400 meters.

These figures look good.

I would like to point out one thing for everyone's clarification.

Blast radius isn't necessarily the same as an area of actual (or maximum) effectiveness. With the exception of thermal detonators and a few specialized weapons, most bombs tend to be most powerful at the epicenter of their detonation. The damage tends to fall off the further away one gets away from the center of detonation. In other words, I wouldn't expect this thing to be doing massive amounts of damage at the edge of its blast radius.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

I'm guessing that the light ones can be launched by some type of launcher then? What kind of launcher do they use? Or are they capable of being fired out of an existing launcher? Alternatively, are the "light" version of these bombs pretty much interchangeable with normal proton bombs int terms of deployment options?

This info is now added in the sub. The "light" Deathballs are now stated to be interchangeable with normal proton bombs as far as their usage is concerned.

These figures look good.

I would like to point out one thing for everyone's clarification.

Blast radius isn't necessarily the same as an area of actual (or maximum) effectiveness. With the exception of thermal detonators and a few specialized weapons, most bombs tend to be most powerful at the epicenter of their detonation. The damage tends to fall off the further away one gets away from the center of detonation. In other words, I wouldn't expect this thing to be doing massive amounts of damage at the edge of its blast radius.

The real-world Mk84 bomb, which is about the size of a heavy Deathball and with a 100% tritonal payload, rather than a mixture of 97% tritonal and 3% baradium, can project lethal fragmentation at a 350-400-meter distance, hence why the blast radius of a heavy Deathball was 400 meters.

Canon gives the impression that baradium is more powerful than conventional real-world explosives, even tritonal.

[member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Gir Quee]

The real-world Mk84 bomb, which is about the size of a heavy Deathball and with a 100% tritonal payload, rather than a mixture of 97% tritonal and 3% baradium, can project lethal fragmentation at a 350-400-meter distance, hence why the blast radius of a heavy Deathball was 400 meters.

I think we're talking about the same thing. The same article mentions that the crater radius is 15 meters in diameter. Combined with the fragmentation radius, this gives us the picture that damage isn't the same throughout the entire "blast radius". I don't have an issue with the Deathball having a similar fragmentation radius, but this isn't going to be something where merely being on the edge of that radius results in the immediate destruction of a tank or heavy walker.

If you object to that, or if you're looking to get a different effect out of this submission, please let me know.

Canon gives the impression that baradium is more powerful than conventional real-world explosives, even tritonal.

This is probably true. With that, however, we start running into the risk of it becoming a super weapon or something that's unbalanced. It's worth noting that Han Solo specifically objected to the use of baradium missiles simply because of their indiscriminate power. It almost goes without saying that I can't approve something like that.

As a general thought about this submission, is this supposed to be an actual proton bomb? Or a baradium bomb using a proton bomb shell?

Proton demolitions, while not terribly well-described, are known to "scatter protons" when they explode. This is suggestive to me that it could be a fission process, but that's not certain fact.

Conversely, baradium explosives are known to use some sort of fusion reaction. It's quite possible to have both of them in the same weapon as well. The canon Galactic Alliance's baradium missiles used a proton charge for its triggering mechanism. If this has a high amount of baradium in it, it should probably be mentioned in the submission that this is a very volatile and unstable munition, which brings a certain amount of risk to whoever is using it. Thermal detonators have been known to spontaneously explode from being physically jarred or exposed to heat.

I'd imagine that's one of the reasons while standard Imperial thermal detonators are known to have a small core and yield. It's much less of a catestrophic risk if an accident occurs.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

No baradium, 3% detonite instead, which uses fission when detonated.

I've added information about where the greatest damage is dealt, too...

[member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Gir Quee]

[member="Charzon Loulan"], looks pretty much ready for approval for me.

Baradium is still in the materials heading though, which you might want to edit.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Charzon Loulan"], looks pretty much ready for approval for me.

Baradium is still in the materials heading though, which you might want to edit.

Done

[member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Gir Quee]

Awesome. Pending Admin Approval. Thanks! [member="Spencer Varanin"]

 

[Hailyn]

Approved.